1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for supporting container pots or the like, more particularly, the present invention relates to a collapsable support apparatus for container pots and the like which is adapted with a burner for heating the contents of the container.
2. General Background
Numerous types of small heating units such as portable stoves and the like have been developed and marketed for use by campers and other outdoors people. Also, particularly in the area of the United States, where various of seafood is abundant, support apparatuses which also have a heating ability, are constructed for supporting a rather substantial container which would have the ability to boil seafood such as crawfish, crabs, shrimp or the like. In many cases, many of these portable stoves and/or support apparatuses are rigidly constructed so as to properly support the rather substantial weight involved in the large containers for boiling seafood. Therefore, the containers, for the most part, are rather large and cumbersome, and require a substantial amount of space in order to transport them and to set them up for use.
Therefore, there is a need for a support apparatus which has a heating ability, which has both the ability to be collapsable, and therefore easily transportable, yet, when set up, have the necessary strength to support the substantial weight involved in boiling seafood or the like.
Several apparatuses have been patented which are collapsable and have heating ability for pots or the like. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,092,974 and 4,117,790, both issued to Zenzaburo, entitled "Pocket Camp Stove" would teach the use of a three wire legged member stove unit, wherein the three legs would be equally spaced apart and extend radially outward from a hub member. The gas unit is received within an upwardly directed resource formed in the hub member having a burner head. The wire leg members have lower portions restable on the support surface and upper portions providing a pan support at a level above the burner head. The wire leg members are movable between a folded position and an equally spaced position. These particular patents are addressed primarily to the support of a pan or the like, and is primarily designated as a portable stove. The apparatus as disclosed in the patent would not have the ability to support the substantial weights involved in the support of pots as with the present apparatus, and therefore, would not suit the purpose as with the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,054, issued to Boman, et al entitled "Collapsable Camp Stove", would also involve a collapsable stove having a three point support. In this particular apparatus, two pivotable legs provide two of the points of support for the stove and the fuel container would provide the third point of support. The shortcoming in this particular apparatus is that the substantial weight placed on this particular apparatus may be an extreme hazard in that the stove leg may rupture and would cause severe damage in terms of a fire or explosion. Also, this particular apparatus is primarily geared towards the support of rather small pans and pots and not the substantial weight as would be required in our particular apparatus.
The following patents also teach the use of portable stoves, all of which are rather delicately constructed, and would not serve the purpose or achieve the ends as our particular apparatus. These patents include:
U.S. Pat. No. 166,767--issued to C. I. Gorham entitled "Nursery Lamp".
U.S. Pat. No. 165,444--issued to C. I. Gorham, et al entitled "Nursery Lamp".
U.S. Pat. No. 1,508,470--issued to A. Patmann entitled "Stand".
U.S. Pat. No. 1,931,584--issued to L. W. Luff entitled "Boiler Stand".
U.S. Pat. No. 3,900,281--issued to Penberthy entitled "Backpacker's Stove".